Archive for the ‘Plastic Surgery in the News’ Category

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More Than Half of Americans Approve of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011 by Newswriter

Rising acceptance of plastic surgeryA recent survey commissioned by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) has revealed that 51 percent of all Americans approve of cosmetic surgery. With a rise of 3 percent since 2009, this is the first time that more than half of Americans have approved of cosmetic surgery.

The numbers indicate a broad-based acceptance that ranges across income levels, with the lowest acceptance rate of 45 percent among Americans with incomes between $50,000-70,000, and the highest rate being 56 percent among Americans with incomes above $75,000.

“As the numbers suggest, people in every income bracket, single or married, male or female, view plastic surgery as a reasonable option today,” says Felmont F. Eaves III, the president of ASAPS, in a press release. “Taking care of yourself and paying attention to physical appearance is increasingly important to everyone. As both traditional surgical procedures have been improved and refined, and new nonsurgical options have become available, aesthetic plastic surgeons have more to offer to our patients.”

This report corresponds with other studies that have revealed the increasing popularity of cosmetic surgery even as the country slowly recovers from the recession. Although women account for 92 percent of the 9.5 million cosmetic (surgical and non-surgical) procedures last year, more and more American men are having these procedures done. Non-invasive procedures in particular have been growing in popularity.

Here are some more findings from the new study:

  • 53% of women and 49% of men approve of cosmetic surgery.
  • Two out of three Americans would not be embarrassed if their friends and family knew they had cosmetic surgery. Almost three out of four non-white Americans said they wouldn’t be embarrassed.
  • While over 70 percent of Americans said that their attitude toward cosmetic surgery had not changed in the last five years, one in every five people said that their attitude was now more favorable.
  • Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 are the most likely to consider plastic surgery.
  • More than three out of four seniors say they wouldn’t be embarrassed about having cosmetic surgery.

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Minimally Invasive Technique Relieves Facial Paralysis

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 by Newswriter

Beautiful womanA new technique that restores facial movement with only a small incision and no major bone work will soon be bringing smiles back to sufferers of lower facial paralysis. The procedure, which involves transposing a facial tendon, was successfully employed in reanimating the faces of 17 patients.

“The primary goal of all facial reanimation protocols is to restore facial movement that is controlled, symmetrical and spontaneous,” writes Dr. Kofi D. Boahene and his colleagues, who published the report in the January/February issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery. A previous method involved moving the temporalis tendon, which is attached to one of the muscles on the side of the head that allows us to chew, with an incision at the temple. This also required surgical dissection of the temporalis muscle.

The procedures were performed between 2006 and 2008 at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. The single, small incision is made through a skin fold on the side of the nose or through the mouth, which is much less visible than an incision into the temple. No patients encountered any post-surgical complications and all achieved improved facial expression symmetry and enhanced voluntary motion.

After the facial surgery, directed physical therapy is necessary to retrain the patient’s facial muscles. “The visible movement gained from dynamic muscle transposition,” the authors write, “does not translate into a spontaneous controlled smile without intensive neuromuscular retraining.” The patient practices a “Mona Lisa” smile by raising the corners of the mouth, and then learns to smile by contracting the temporal muscle.

Over time, this becomes natural and spontaneous for the patient, so that the patient’s mind links smiling to the temporalis muscle rather than the muscles previously responsible. In order for this to be successful, patients must be highly motivated and dedicated to their physiotherapy, but the rewards may be well worth it.

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Nasal Deviation Linked to Depression: Study

Friday, March 18th, 2011 by Newswriter

picture of nose for deviated septum rhinoplasty storyDepression and anxiety? If you have a deviated septum, it may be caused by  your nose. That’s the conclusion of a recent study, published in the March issue of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, which indicates that nasal deviation affects more than just one’s nose. It can significantly detract from an individual’s quality of life and contribute to depression and disquiet.

Nasal deviation occurs when the septum – the bone and cartilage that separates the nasal airways and divides the two nostrils – leans left or right instead of lying symmetrically. This can block one of the air passages and lead to a number of complaints, including nasal congestion, frequent nosebleeds, frequent sinus infections, and headaches. Patients may also experience sleeping disorders such as snoring or sleep apnea.

Study author Sueli de Lima Ramos and her colleagues argue that the nose, being a central feature of the face, “strongly influences the facial appearance and social impression formation…. The body plays an important role in the self-concept, and body dissatisfaction may be associated with low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence, depression and reduced quality of life.”

According to previous studies, patients with nasal deformities have shown changes in personality, becoming more introverted, immature, and more concerned about self-image. Another study showed that “psychological gender differences have been observed in candidates to rhinoplasty. Females with nasal deformities have been found to be egocentric, immature, impulsive, and perfectionists, while male candidates were stubborn, skeptical, pessimists, rigorous and perfectionists.”

Conversely, it’s been found that rhinoplasty candidates reported mental health scores lower than the general population, and that psychologically stable patients experienced “a reduction of anxiety and increase in self-esteem” after their rhinoplasties.

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National Surgery Groups Form Patient Safety Coalition

Friday, February 25th, 2011 by copywriter

Four widely known and respected medical specialty groups recently announced the formation of the Physicians Aesthetic Coalition—a new, interdisciplinary organization designed to champion patient education and safety in aesthetic medicine.

Organizations involved in the Coalition include the:

  • American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
  • American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS)
  • American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS)
  • American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS)

Each organization has a long history of promoting patient education and safety initiatives, however this is the first time these groups have worked cooperatively toward the goal of helping the public get better informed about cosmetic plastic and dermatologic surgery.

Dr. Felmont Eaves, III, president of the ASAPS, cites the increasing popularity of aesthetic surgery and non-surgical cosmetic treatments, as well as the rising number of unqualified practitioners and unproven technologies in the industry, as the motivating force behind the formation of the Physicians Aesthetic Coalition.

“This is a significant patient safety issue,” said Dr. Eaves. “Through the Coalition, we can address these issues on a stronger platform than we could individually, using credible medical evidence to help patients make informed decisions.”

ASDS President Dr. Jeffery Dover also added that one of the primary objectives of the Physicians Aesthetic Coalition will be to provide patients undergoing popular surgical procedures such as blepharoplasty, liposuction and breast augmentation or new, non-surgical cosmetic treatments with reliable, unbiased educational resources.

“One of the Coalition’s founding principles is to develop educational forums for the public and media, transparent and free of commercial bias,” said Dr. Dover. “Over the next several months we will be announcing new resources to help [patients] differentiate fact from fiction.”

According to Dr. Jonathan Sykes, president of the AAFPRS, the Coalition represents the unified voices of more than 8,000 board certified physicians specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery of the face, body, eyes and skin. And at a time when the news seems dominated by awful plastic surgery stories and gimmicks galore, prospective patients can certainly rest easier knowing that there are physicians out there who really care about their well-being, not just making a buck.

“Nothing is more important to us, both as a medical society and as individual physicians, than keeping our patients safe,” says ASOPRS President Dr. Jeffrey A. Nerad. “We are hopeful that this new Coalition will help us in achieving this end.”

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